Posted by By Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa on
John and Yemisi Bamimodu who are Okoroji's neighbours in the two-wing duplex that was razed are still in shock over the tragedy. Mr. Bamimodu, a businessman was in Abuja on the day of the incident and had to fly back to Lagos when his wife, a staffer of Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, broke the news to him on phone.
John and Yemisi Bamimodu who are Okoroji's neighbours in the two-wing duplex that was razed are still in shock over the tragedy. Mr. Bamimodu, a businessman was in Abuja on the day of the incident and had to fly back to Lagos when his wife, a staffer of Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, broke the news to him on phone.
By the time he arrived, the house had been burnt completely, with only a handful of things rescued from the living room downstairs.
Recounting the loss, Bamimodu said that the family lost property and other things worth several millions of Naira to the fire. He, however, was grateful to God that no loss of life was involved.
In her own account, Mrs Bamimodu said she was about going to work when the fire started that fateful day from the Okoroji's wing of the house. She stated that she was hopeful that the fire will be put off, hence made no efforts to remove property from the house earlier.
The couple, who are presently putting up with their pastor at Idimu, though still in shock, are grateful to God that no life was lost.
Mr John Bamimodu
Commenting on the incident, he said: 'It was total destruction, which is beyond explanation, I have never experienced such in my life before. It was total destruction, all the property are gone, there is nothing left.
'I was not around when the fire was raging, because I travelled to Abuja. I was in Abuja and immediately my wife called me, I had to come down, that was Thursday. The fire started around about 1pm."
On losses incurred, he said: 'I have lost many documents and property worth several millions. I am still in shock."
'I have visited Chief Okoroji. He has a sprain on his leg because he jumped down from upstairs."
'We have lived for about four years in this house, we moved into the house on June 29, 2001. Downstairs they were able to retrieve the curtain, television, video and settees.
'Right now, we have secured a temporary accommodation in our pastor's house at Idimu, Pastor R.A. Dawodu of Christ Miracle Church Mission (CMCM).
Mrs Yemisi Bamimodu
'I was around during the incident, I was actually going to work when I heard Chief Okoroji's children shouting daddy, daddy, daddy and flung open their door. I sensed something was wrong and I asked my driver to park. I went in there and discovered it was fire. By the time I got into their living room, there was thick smoke coming from upstairs. I managed to switch off their meter, asked the children to leave the house, ran outside and started calling for help, for water, and called for fire brigade. I was running up and down.
'By the time we were doing all these, somebody started shouting that the fire was going to the other side, that is our own side of the two-wing duplex. So, we ran back to our own apartment, opened the gate, came inside, by the time we opened our bedroom, there was smoke there, so we just ran outside and started shouting again.
'People started coming, running around to see if they can get help for us but it was too late. The fire brigade could not come until after one hour. Some water tankers came before the fire brigade, they added detergent to their water, but they couldn't do much because they are not fire fighters. They were doing all that before the fire brigade came, and started pouring water everywhere. Sympathisers came and brought out our settees."
'The fire fighters could not put out the fire because they ran out of water. So, they had to go. They did the much they could do. Maybe when they were coming, there was a hold-up on the way and all that. They came from Isolo area, near Aswani. Isolo to Egbeda is very far in case of emergency.
'We thank God that no life was lost despite everything. We believe our God is able to help us in any situation. Some of the dresses I am wearing today were given to me by a friend. She went to her shop to get clothes for me. I left the house with only one dress, the one I was putting on at the time of the incident. We went to sleep in our pastor's house."